The Latest: Jury gives death penalty to ambush killer

The Latest: Jury gives death penalty to ambush killer


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MILFORD, Pa. (AP) — The Latest on the trial of a survivalist who ambushed two troopers at a state police barracks, killing one (all times local):

10:20 p.m.

A jury has given the death penalty to a gunman who targeted Pennsylvania state troopers at their barracks, killing one and leaving a second with devastating injuries.

Eric Frein (freen) was sentenced Wednesday, a week after his conviction on charges including murder of a law enforcement officer and terrorism.

Prosecutors say Frein was trying to spark a revolution when he killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and wounded Trooper Alex Douglass in a late-night ambush with a rifle.

Frein was captured after a 48-day manhunt in the Pocono Mountains. The 33-year-old defendant's lawyers had argued for a sentence of life in prison without parole.

Frein likely won't be executed for decades, if ever. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has imposed a moratorium on the death penalty, and Pennsylvania's last execution took place in 1999.

Frein's lawyers are promising to tie up his case in appeals.

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9:25 p.m.

A jury is deliberating into the night over whether to sentence a man to death or to life in prison without parole for ambushing two Pennsylvania state police troopers at their barracks, killing one.

Jurors in northeastern Pennsylvania told a judge Wednesday night they wanted to keep going, four hours after they began weighing the fate of 33-year-old Eric Frein (freen).

The jury convicted Frein last week of killing Cpl. Bryon Dickson and critically wounding a second trooper in the sniper attack.

District Attorney Ray Tonkin says Frein showed a "wickedness of heart" when he targeted the troopers at their barracks in 2014.

The defense says Frein grew up in a dysfunctional household. It has asked jurors to sentence him to life in prison without parole.

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4:25 p.m.

A prosecutor has asked jurors to give the death sentence to a man who ambushed two Pennsylvania troopers, while the gunman's lawyer is requesting mercy.

Jurors heard closing arguments Wednesday in the penalty phase of Eric Frein's trial and soon will decide his fate.

The jury convicted Frein (freen) last week of killing Cpl. Bryon Dickson and critically wounding a second trooper in the sniper attack.

District Attorney Ray Tonkin says Frein showed a "wickedness of heart" when he targeted the troopers at their barracks in 2014.

Defense lawyer Michael Weinstein told the jurors Frein grew up in a dysfunctional household and asked them to show "sympathy and mercy" to his client and sentence him to life in prison without parole.

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12:40 p.m.

Testimony has ended in a hearing to determine whether a gunman gets the death penalty or life without parole for ambushing two Pennsylvania troopers at their barracks.

A jury is expected to begin weighing the sentence for Eric Frein (freen) after closing arguments Wednesday afternoon.

Frein killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and critically wounded a second trooper in a 2014 ambush. He was convicted last week.

A law professor told jurors Wednesday that inmates doing life can earn substantial privileges for good behavior, letting them take advantage of prison recreational and work opportunities.

Prosecutors played a jailhouse phone call in which Frein's father told his son the defense strategy would be to portray him, Eric Frein's father, as a "nut job."

The defense says Frein should get a life sentence.

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